Rethinking Enjoyment: Why It Might Not Be What You Expect

Thought For The Week

I think enjoyment is one of the most misunderstood parts of training.

A lot of people tell me they don’t enjoy exercise, or that they’re struggling to stay consistent because they’re just not getting enough from it.

But I’ve been thinking about what we actually mean when we say we enjoy something, and whether the way we think about it can inadvertently set us off on the wrong foot.

Because we often expect enjoyment to feel obvious. To look like motivation, enthusiasm, excitement, or something to look forward to.

We expect it to compete with the things we naturally turn to for leisure; good food, time with friends, switching off at the end of the day.

And when it doesn’t feel like that, it’s easy to assume it’s just not for us.

But enjoyment isn’t always excitement or entertainment. Sometimes it’s more subtle.

It might be the feeling of moving your body after a long day at your desk.

Getting outside into the fresh air.

A bit of space to think, or take a break from everything else.

It might not be the thing you’d always choose, but it’s something you value afterwards.

If it only counts when it feels like fun, we stand to miss out on the other, more nuanced expressions of enjoyment.

We also make it much harder to stay consistent with something that was never meant to compete with everything else we do for pleasure.

So instead of asking, Will I enjoy it?

Perhaps it’s worth asking, Is there something valuable in this?

Exercise Tip

We’re surrounded by messaging that tells us exercise should be fun.

New trends.

More variety.

Novelty.

Gamification.

As we scroll through social media, everyone else seems to be riding an exercise-induced high.

So why aren’t we?

But we’re only seeing the highlight reel. And that skews our expectations of what exercise should really feel like.

And while novelty and variety have their place, real progress in training doesn’t come from constant reinvention — it comes from consistent repetition. And that’s not always going to feel particularly fun.

The key lies in noticing the quieter parts of training, and finding a more subtle type of enjoyment there.

It might be in the rhythm of your movement, or your breath.

The feeling of being in your body, rather than stuck in your head.

The space it creates, or the shift in how you feel afterwards.

Sometimes it’s just the act of showing up and following through.

None of that is particularly loud or obvious. But it all counts.

Because enjoyment doesn’t always come from the session itself, sometimes it comes from what it gives you: A bit of clarity, a sense of progress, time that’s just yours.

And the more you start to notice it, the less it becomes about having fun in the moment…

And the more it becomes something you value enough to keep coming back to.

Nutrition Tip

When it comes to food, enjoyment is often framed as indulgence — something rich, decadent, or naughty.

It can also become tied to certain moments or events.

A trip to the cinema, for example, is something that feels like a treat. And so we arrive in that mindset, and it feels natural to add to the experience with popcorn, a drink, or something sweet alongside it.

There’s a place for that, of course. But it can also start to shape our expectations of what enjoying food should look like.

Over time, it can become something we expect — where not having those things feels like we’re missing out, or somehow making the experience less enjoyable.

But not every meal, or every moment, needs to be elevated in that way.

And not all enjoyment has to come from indulgence.

Sometimes it’s about finding enjoyment in the quieter places.

That might be sitting down and taking time over a meal, rather than rushing through it.

The familiarity and comfort of eating something you know you like.

A meal that feels balanced and leaves you satisfied, rather than overly full, or still searching for something else.

Paying attention to the flavours and textures.

Or even just noticing the moment a little more — your environment, the conversation, the pause in your day.

None of that is particularly dramatic, and it often gets overlooked. But it’s still enjoyment.

Links & Resources

Recipe: For something warm, comforting, and satisfying, this Smoked Mackerel & Tenderstem Risotto is one of my favourites. Risotto is a great thing to cook to encourage you to slow down, pay attention, and find enjoyment in the process as much as the end result.

Book: This simple guide to mindfulness explores the idea that enjoyment doesn’t have to be intense or obvious — often it’s found in paying closer attention to the moment itself.

Website: A thoughtful collection of articles and ideas around mindfulness. A helpful reminder that enjoyment often comes from being present with what you’re doing, rather than seeking something more.

Inspirational Quote

“Pleasure is found first in anticipation, later in memory.”

Gustave Flaubert